T-Mobile LTE & Network Discussion

[danlodish345]

The S5 doesn't even have Band 12.

but the note 4 galaxy avant more have them

[jackskellington6]

Yes I have a T-Mobile Note 4. Unfortunately I don't live in a market where they own the Band 12 license.

[danlodish345]

Yes I have a T-Mobile Note 4. Unfortunately I don't live in a market where they own the Band 12 license.

fortunately for me ...I have a note 4 they have Band 12 for my entire state

[Deval]

Anyways back to the T-mobile discussion.... I live in a 700 market and the funny thing is their signal still stinks, I had a friend who had them back when smartphones just started and he said its not all that much better now with 700. lol Thats just one persons experience though. 

 

That's because people have this misperception that 700mhz will give them magical voice coverage, forgetting that it is LTE only, and unless you're making a VoLTE call, it's useless. 

[WiWavelength]

fortunately for me ...I have a note 4 they have Band 12 for my entire state

 

Yes, but T-Mobile's Lower 700 MHz A block license is presently unusable across the northern half of New Jersey -- because of UHF channel 51 incumbency.  And that is not likely to be resolved in the New York City metro for several years yet.  So, that bird may seem in hand, but it is also still in the bush.

 

AJ

[danlodish345]

That's because people have this misperception that 700mhz will give them magical voice coverage, forgetting that it is LTE only, and unless you're making a VoLTE call, it's useless.

it's a long ways off for my area even though I m not in the exclusion zone ...it doesn't even matter to me...nor am I a fan boy ...I m just glad there is lots of competition

[Deval]

I recently corrected someone over on the T-Mo subreddit over the same misconception that 700a would help them with coverage holes. If you dropped calls before, you'll still drop calls now, unless you're on a VoLTE call.

 

That brings up an interesting thought, is there a seamless handoff between PCS/AWS and 700a if you're on a VoLTE call?

[lou99/maximus1987]

I recently corrected someone over on the T-Mo subreddit over the same misconception that 700a would help them with coverage holes. If you dropped calls before, you'll still drop calls now, unless you're on a VoLTE call.

 

That brings up an interesting thought, is there a seamless handoff between PCS/AWS and 700a if you're on a VoLTE call?

If there's a seamless handoff between volte and 3G, it's probably also seamless between lte bands.

 

 

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[EvanA]

I recently corrected someone over on the T-Mo subreddit over the same misconception that 700a would help them with coverage holes. If you dropped calls before, you'll still drop calls now, unless you're on a VoLTE call.

 

That brings up an interesting thought, is there a seamless handoff between PCS/AWS and 700a if you're on a VoLTE call?

Handoff is band-independent. Properly configured, a VoLTE call can seamlessly transition between multiple bands, just like data sessions do.

[Deval]

If there's a seamless handoff between volte and 3G, it's probably also seamless between lte bands.

 

 

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Handoff is band-independent. Properly configured, a VoLTE call can seamlessly transition between multiple bands, just like data sessions do.

 

The question is how does it work in the real world today? Streaming music is one thing, since it pre-caches, but what about a VoLTE call?

[lou99/maximus1987]

The question is how does it work in the real world today? Streaming music is one thing, since it pre-caches, but what about a VoLTE call?

It can't be worse than volte to 3G voice.

 

 

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[lou99/maximus1987]

@FierceWireless: Confirmed: @TMobile upgrading 'small percentage' of customers to unlimited LTE. http://t.co/ZKGAA9XZ57 H/T @TmoNews

 

 

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[EvanA]

The question is how does it work in the real world today? Streaming music is one thing, since it pre-caches, but what about a VoLTE call?

LTE handoffs are very well tested and implemented. When switching between bands your data session is not interrupted and neither is your VoLTE session.

[lou99/maximus1987]

FYI: I got five questions view text from TMO.

 

 

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[jamisonshaw125]

How satisfied are you with your coverage, 2. LOL!

[lou99/maximus1987]

How satisfied are you with your coverage, 2. LOL!

It's more like 4 but I want to light a fire under them to densify where needed.

 

There's one intersection where their twitter said "we know it's 2g but here's a link saying 'it'll get better'"

 

Another location, there's a 2g tower that they say they're upgrading to lte (inside metro area meaning full build not GMO hopefully)

 

 

 

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[maxsilver]

The question is how does it work in the real world today? Streaming music is one thing, since it pre-caches, but what about a VoLTE call?

 

I'd call it "almost perfect". It's seamless enough that I can't tell it's switched unless I'm watching SignalCheck as it happens. I've never dropped a call when switching between LTE on any band (PCS/AWS/700)

 

VoLTE is pretty nice. If your on a good LTE network with proper coverage / density in the area, I think it offers a phenomenal user experience.

[lou99/maximus1987]

I'd call it "almost perfect". It's seamless enough that I can't tell it's switched unless I'm watching SignalCheck as it happens. I've never dropped a call when switching between LTE on any band (PCS/AWS/700)

 

VoLTE is pretty nice. If your on a good LTE network with proper coverage / density in the area, I think it offers a phenomenal user experience.

Is it that different from wcdma hd voice? I know it's twice as much Kbps but is it noticable?

 

 

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[lou99/maximus1987]

At Deutsche Telekom's 2015 Capital Markets Day event, T-Mobile detailed the full scope of the coverage expansion that is expected to finish this year in the presentation PDF.

 

Looks like we need to add an asterisk to all that new coverage

 

"Outside of cities, we see the low-band solution as really the key to end the map wars and get out there and show people we have coverage everywhere," Castle said. "Verizon always puts up maps to show they cover North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, which are beautiful states, of course, but not a lot of people are there. It looks great on TV, but it doesn't make a huge difference to people. That said, we are going to close that gap with 700 MHz and expect to have a competitive map towards the end of the year, because we can with our low-band."

 

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/t-mobile-counts-7m-customers-using-wi-fi-calling/2015-03-13

[lou99/maximus1987]

http://www.lightreading.com/mobile/4g-lte/qanda-the-castle-in-t-mobiles-lte-network-/d/d-id/714087?page_number=2#msgs

 

• On T-Mobile's VoLTE progress: We are around 10-plus percent of calls on VoLTE
• RCS is soon, very soon. VoLTE was the baseline on that and was the most difficult

[joshnys8913]

Looks like we need to add an asterisk to all that new coverage

 

"Outside of cities, we see the low-band solution as really the key to end the map wars and get out there and show people we have coverage everywhere," Castle said. "Verizon always puts up maps to show they cover North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, which are beautiful states, of course, but not a lot of people are there. It looks great on TV, but it doesn't make a huge difference to people. That said, we are going to close that gap with 700 MHz and expect to have a competitive map towards the end of the year, because we can with our low-band."

 

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/t-mobile-counts-7m-customers-using-wi-fi-calling/2015-03-13

looks better

[sbolen]

FYI: I got five questions view text from TMO. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1426267433.600697.jpg ImageUploadedByTapatalk1426267443.773465.jpg ImageUploadedByTapatalk1426267450.580301.jpg ImageUploadedByTapatalk1426267458.466331.jpg

 

 

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They're doing a Net Promoter Score survey.

[reedacus25]

I'd call it "almost perfect". It's seamless enough that I can't tell it's switched unless I'm watching SignalCheck as it happens. I've never dropped a call when switching between LTE on any band (PCS/AWS/700)

 

VoLTE is pretty nice. If your on a good LTE network with proper coverage / density in the area, I think it offers a phenomenal user experience.

Agreed. With a proper network to handle it, it can perform quite well and quite seamlessly. Having the QCI=1 (QoS Class Identifier) which prioritizes the VoLTE traffic as a number one priority certainly helps. But I have seen VoLTE have quite some issues when you add serious congestion to the eNodeB or put it in some tricky RF acrobatics.

 

Looks like we need to add an asterisk to all that new coverage

 

"Outside of cities, we see the low-band solution as really the key to end the map wars and get out there and show people we have coverage everywhere," Castle said. "Verizon always puts up maps to show they cover North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, which are beautiful states, of course, but not a lot of people are there. It looks great on TV, but it doesn't make a huge difference to people. That said, we are going to close that gap with 700 MHz and expect to have a competitive map towards the end of the year, because we can with our low-band."

 

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/t-mobile-counts-7m-customers-using-wi-fi-calling/2015-03-13

If this map is to be believed, then I think that an important note to take is that they show southwest Mississippi as brand new LTE coverage where it currently is roaming. This is C Spire country and they will not be able to get, and/or deploy on 700 there, so it is understood that not 100% of this new coverage expansion comes with an asterisk. I also don't see them going L700 only in these areas. They are going to add a GSM and likely a U1900/L2100 layer too. It only makes sense to do that if they are taking the time to expand coverage as it appears they are.

[richy]

The concept of NPS is pretty good, but in practice it gets executed like 6Sigma \ LEAN (what belt were you ). The idea that you need to work towards turning your customers into promoters and that only the top end of the satisfaction scale act as active promoters is correct. The reality is that you cannot poll every sub at every contact point, so there is a selection process which is where the scum in the MBA mafia screw with the concept.

 

Basically if it can be measured, it will be manipulated. When CSA's put people through to do a NPS survey do you think they select randomly or just the people who think they will rank them 10's? The desk warmers ensure that staff are rewarded for increasing their scores so their Dept looks the best. It rarely ever actually results in any significant changes in business practice  

[lou99/maximus1987]

TMO changed their JUMP plans, I think.

 

JUMP! TM offers you freedom to upgrade your device when you want, not when you’re told.  Whenever you’re ready to upgrade, simply trade in your eligible device and T-Mobile will pay off your remaining device payments, up to half of your device cost.